Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 890’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant named ‘COSEH 890’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; dark green-colored leaves; long flowering period; single light yellow green-colored flowers that are tinged with greyed red and greyed purple; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Helleborus niger×Helleborus lividus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘COSEH 890’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHelleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus niger×Helleboruslividus, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘COSEH 890’.

The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding program inGlandorf, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to createnew uniform Helleborus plants with unique and attractive plant habit,leaf and flower coloration and resistance to pests.

The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany in December, 2005 of an unnamedproprietary seedling selection of Helleborus niger, not patented, as thefemale, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary seedling selectionof Helleborus lividus, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thenew Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment inGlandorf, Germany in February, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by divisions in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Glandorf, Germany since March, 2008has shown that the unique features of this new Helleborus plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘COSEH 890’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘COSEH 890’ as a new and distinct Helleborusplant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.    -   2. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Single light yellow green-colored flowers that are tinged        with greyed red and greyed purple.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of the newHelleborus are more uniformly mounded and are more uniformly and freelyflowering.

Plants of the new Helleborus can be compared to plants of Helleborusniger×Helleborus lividus ‘COSEH 700’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.21,003. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany,plants of the new Helleborus differed from plants of ‘COSEH 700’ in leafand flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Helleborus plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Helleborus plant. The photograph on the firstsheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of‘COSEH 890’ grown in a container. The photograph on the second sheet isa close-up view of a typical flower of ‘COSEH 890’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the winter in 17-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Glandorf, Germany and underenvironmental conditions and cultural practices which closelyapproximate commercial Helleborus production. During the production ofthe plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 32° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 3° C. to 18° C. Plants were 14 months old whenthe photographs and the description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helleborus niger×Helleborus lividus ‘COSEH    890’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Helleborus niger, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Helleborus lividus, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About two months at 12° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About six months at            4° C. to 15° C.        -   Root description.—Thick to thin, fleshy; white to brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Sparse.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright            and uniformly mounding plant habit with flowers held just            above the foliar plane; plant shape is flattened globular;            moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 39.9 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 67.8 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves arranged in a basal rosette; leaves            palmately compound with five leaflets per leaf.        -   Leaf length.—About 15.5 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 18.1 cm.        -   Leaflet length.—About 9.7 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 4.4 cm.        -   Leaf shape.—Palmate; orbicular in outline.        -   Leaflet shape.—Elliptic to ovate or obovate.        -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.        -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.        -   Leaflet margin.—Sharply serrate.        -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between            143C and 144A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to            148A. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Darker than            between N137A and 147A; venation, close to 144A to 144B; at            the base, close to 200A to 200B. Fully developed leaves,            lower surface: Between 147A to 147B and 197A; venation,            between N186C and 187A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 12.1 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147C to 147D, heavily            tinged and dotted with between N186C and 187A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower shape and habit.—Single rotate flowers arranged in            terminal and axillary cymes; freely and uniform flowering            habit with about 100 flowers and flower buds developing per            plant; flowers facing outwardly to slightly nodding and            slightly upright.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten            months after planting; long flowering period, plants flower            from late winter to early spring in Germany.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not            persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.            Shape: Broadly ovate. Color: Close to 150D.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 38.1 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 28.3 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6.3 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 3 cm.        -   Petals.—Transformed into nectaries.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm. Shape:            Broadly ovate to broadly elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 145C to 145D.            When opening, lower surface: Close to 150D; towards the            base, close to 145C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            145D tinged with close to 186C to 186D; towards the base,            close to 145B; with development, color becoming closer to            147C shaded with close to 176C to 176D. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 145C strongly tinged with between 181D and            185D.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About            31.8 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Aspect: About 30° from            vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145D            moderately dotted with between 181A and 182A.        -   Pedicels.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 2 cm.            Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 30° from the            peduncle axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            145C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 50.            Filament length: About 1.6 cm. Filament color: Close to            157D. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 1.5 mm.            Anther color: Close to 150C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 158D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: About            six. Pistil length: About 1.2 cm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped.            Stigma color: Close to 157C. Style length: About 1.1 cm.            Style color: Close to 157C. Ovary color: Close to 157A.            Nectaries (transformed petals): Quantity per flower:            About 13. Length: About 8 mm. Diameter, apex: About 2 mm.            Diameter, base: About 1 mm. Shape: Flattened triangular.            Color: Close to 144C; towards the apex, close to N144B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Helleborus.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind;    plants of the new Helleborus have been observed to tolerate high    temperatures of about 35° C. and are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Helleborus have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Helleborus plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 890’as illustrated and described.